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Haven Review: Kicked In The Balls and Left for Dead

William was kicked in the balls and left for dead in Haven Season 4 Episode 13, and it felt a bit like the audience was, as well. As much as I wanted the season finale to pick up the ball and run for goal -- something it wasn't capable of doing all season long -- it never quite scored.

Even worse, answers were few and additional questions were many. After a season full of lingering and weighted stories, it was time to tie up a few loose ends. So let's see what we did find out before the door closed.

The best scene came early, when we learned what happened as Audrey gave Duke back his Trouble and he then cured the family of their Trouble so their little baby boy was no longer an innocent life taking out many more with his cries. Just as William predicted, Audrey started to remember her original self, but even better was the effect having his Trouble back had on Duke.

The saving grace of Haven Season 4 has been Eric Balfour's performance as Duke, the single character who showed any true growth and development throughout the year. I'm not the only one aware of this, as his pain at having taken the life of the father was bolstered by moving music that made the scene even more effective as it played out.

Again, Duke saw the shift in Audrey as she recognized the woman William was wishing her to recall, but Audrey wasn't giving any real indication that she was falling under his spell.

As soon as Jennifer read that the four people needed for the Guard symbol in the lighthouse had to come from other worlds, it was obvious the fourth person was Dave. For what other reason would they have mentioned he was adopted if not for him to have been placed by Agent Howard? It was a bit disappointing the clue was so blatantly obvious.

The remainder of the hour became a "race" to get William and Dave into the lighthouse against their will so the four could open the portal and someone could send William back to the other side. The sense of urgency, however, wasn't really there.

Instead, as Nathan was trying to shoot William with a dart, I was wishing for him to put down the gun so we could get some answers from William while he and Audrey talked about Mara, her original self, and the love they shared. We got a flashback to them dressed as Hansel and Gretel look alikes, talking about the bad things they did, but still very little was discovered about who the hell they are.

They're from another world. Where? What is it? Why did Dave feel the need to go into it if the portal opened? Audrey asked why Mara was being punished, but she never got the answer. There was tease after tease of information, without a hit. We still don't know who Agent Howard was or why he put kids from the other world up for adoption in Haven. Relatively, we learned absolutely nothing.

We did learn that when Duke was re-Troubled all of the Troubles his family line had ever cured were activated within him and only William knew how to fix his malady. We learned that William didn't want to go into the door to the other world and that Audrey doing it to him would make her worse than Mara had ever been.

Yet, at the end, Audrey says she could never let anyone push him into the door -- she could only do it herself. In goes William, and with him Duke's cure. Jennifer dies and Duke starts bleeding from the eyes. Mara asserts herself and asks who is going to help her get William back and I groan, wishing William had tossed her into the other world, because it would have been a hell of a lot more interesting and might have guaranteed a renewal.

There was so much promise at the beginning of the season. The original could have come back to Haven in any form. Jordan could have chosen to give up the fight against her and worked with Audrey to cure the Troubles. Duke could have had a healthy familial relationship with Wade. William could have been the bad guy, trying to bring his original back and all of those other things would still have worked to the benefit of the story.

Instead Haven got lost in circular storytelling that never really found its footing. Characters became dispensable when they could have enhanced the ongoing mythology. As the group got smaller, the plot became blurred instead of focused. A series that traditionally had me on the edge of my seat could barely capture my attention.

Am I indicative of every viewer of Haven? Certainly not. But there is probably at least a few others left unsatisfied with the season, wondering what happened to the team responsible for Seasons 1-3, and whether they'll be able to capture the magic again if granted a fifth season.

Eric Balfour and occasional support from Adam Copeland -- as entertaining and talented as they are -- cannot carry the entire series on their own. While the others are up to the task, they weren't given material suitable to their talents. Emily Rose's runs in previous years as Sarah and Lucy outweighed her work as the lesser Lexie and Mara. Lucas Bryant's Nathan played off of those other incarnations with more zeal.

With a lot of new series hitting SyFy in 2014, I won't be surprised if a renewal is held until their success or failure is determined. We know Haven is capable of greatness and it would be a shame to go out on after a bad run.

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And your comment is equally as informative. Awful fits here, as well. If you feel the need to say it sucks, then back it up Awful. I did in my review. Share your fascinating clues to the contrary.

T Rude•May 23, 2014 04:11

Here's how I see it. The barn and the cave are not portals to another world they are time warp and Audrey/Mara is condemned to a reincarnation loop because she somehow conjured up the Troubles in her 1st life (the opening credits reference witchcraft and punishment of witches) and she must make amends by helping folks thru time. Nathan & Duke interrupted the cycle when they were sent back to Sarah's time and changed the outcome of a few things - one prevented the cop from killing his grandfather & one conceived a child - I think the note about Sarah & Pop Croker was a plant later in time. We need closure on the story of the son & the fear of Dave's and the "Love conquers all" message in the old box Duke & Evi found. Jennifer can't be dead b/c she is a link to something. That's my take.

The bad news is Haven won't be going to Comic Con so we won't even have any fun news to deliver about what's coming next. Makes me wonder if they're still unsure of their direction.

vickie•January 20, 2014 22:21

True, I was disappointed by the last season, and of course the finale, but there is so much that can be improved by a fifth season. I enjoyed the teamship that came into play and I really liked Duke being a truly good guy and finding someone who really cared for him. Much better than watching Nathan and Audrey. I hope they do find a way for a fifth season.

Molly•January 19, 2014 19:45

I found that I liked this season a lot more. The new sexy badass Lexi that started to influence some of the almost overly nice Audrey gave that character a whole new flare. Yes, Duke really did have the most growth throughout everything. But the constant questions have left me wanting to have a season 5. I need to know, will Audrey come back? Is Duke really as good as dead? Why does Dave get pulled into the Other world... What's so scary about this Other World. How can Mara and William help? What about Nathan.... the love of his life is now this evil woman. Even more... Did Nathan and Sarah's son really die? I mean the barn saved him last time right? He's left stabbed and then never mentioned again.Basically.... Im not emotionally ready to let go of Haven. There's too many loose ends to tie up, and too much that can happen.

R. Lynn•January 19, 2014 03:42

The entire story of William and Audrey being bad ruined the season. Audrey needs to be Audrey with Nathan fighting troubles. I actually watched all seasons but thought the William thing totally ruined the series. Duke and Jennifer together was great....!!

cindy•January 11, 2014 04:27

Better weak haven than no haven. Need my Nathan fix. I don't like any other show. Tv sucks without haven

claire•December 26, 2013 14:58

I just hope Jennifer isn't really dead, I really liked her and her and duke were a better and cutier couple than Audrey and Nathan :/

DocPrion•December 16, 2013 22:10

I absolutely love this show, but alas, I have to agree with others on here that feel this season was lack-luster. I also feel that Duke seems to be the only character of interest on this show. He is complex and intersting, the same cannot be said of the others. I also really dont like the way the writers handled Audrey and Duke this season. They really had a strong connection in the previous seasons and that seems to have evaporated, for her anyway. Duke is really in tune with subtle changes in her. Why is that? I was hoping we might get some insight into that, but nope. I leave season 4 feeling unsatisfied, and can only hope for a good season 5 where the writers can redeems themselves.

iloveredos•December 16, 2013 02:19

I agree that this season fell short. I didn't feel connected to the characters this season except for Duke and Jennifer. I have my doubts it will be renewed, but I hope they give them at least a half season to answer the questions. Since William could heal himself and Audrey, I had hopes that anyone from the barn-other world could do the same, including Howard and Jennifer. Clearly there are folks who could do this to Mara in the first place and surely they will come back again to fix things. Anyway, to me this was a lost season, but I hope there are more to follow and they get back to the drama they had before.

Katie•December 14, 2013 23:26

Here's hoping it's renewed! Back when season 1 was airing the producers said they had a clear 5yr plan, and I hope we can see it to fruition. I wasn't blown away by this episode, I think season 3 was just so amazing, and the finale just jam packed with reveals, & I suppose it was hard to top that. Season 4 was a little lacking though. To be fair we learnt a lot more about the guard, and a bit about the otherworly folk, a tease of who Audrey really is/was (if she always comes back as someone different but she's always the same why isn't she bad, if she was bad originally?). Dave's greatest fear was Sarah (in a terrible wig in season 1) so perhaps that has to do with his visit to the other side. Jennifer was, like all the other guest stars, not long for this world, but her death was a bit of a let down (kind of like the other departures, only Tommy's was a real "wow" moment, Claire's was sad). There was quite a bit of talk regarding the after life in this episode, I wonder if that will come in to play. I still love haven, and I'm keen for more mysteries to be unravelled. There's got to be more to this Mara lady (I thought she was a little piratey) and here's hoping it's not the end of William and he won't be forgotten about like Nathan and SAudrey's child!!!!